1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a server device and recording medium for same, and more particularly, to a server device and recording medium that searches for product information via a network such as the internet and displays inventory information about that product.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 8-329143 teaches a system in which an order for an item, such as a book or a compact disk (CD), is received from a customer via the internet, the item is shipped to a bookstore designated by the customer, and the customer then goes to the designated bookstore to pick up the ordered item. For the convenience of the customer, this system provides means for searching for the item and displays item inventory information on a web site as a result of that search.
Additionally, there is Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 10-91711. The technology disclosed herein similarly involves expressing in graphic form an inventory of a particular item at a particular store and displaying that graphic at a client's device.
However, the inventory information displayed by the above-described prior art is inventory information about the item in question for one particular store (the intermediate or agent store), not inventory information about the item for every store that carries the item.
In other words, a disadvantage of the conventional art is that it affords no way for the customer to know the state of the inventory at stores where the customer might be willing and able to go to pick up the ordered item. Accordingly, despite the fact that the ordered item might be in stock at (for example) a store nearest the customer, because the customer has placed the order with the agent store he must wait for the agent store to ship the item to the designated store. This waiting is unnecessary and inefficient.
Additionally, a so-called shopping cart model for making shopping on the internet efficient is known. However, a disadvantage of the conventional art is that a single method of taking delivery and a single method of payment is specified for all the items in the basket. Accordingly, the conventional shopping cart model does not allow customers to use different methods of taking delivery and different methods of payment for individual items in the cart.